Anxiety and Panic Attacks: The ER doctor said it was all in my head.......

After being stuck in the Dominion Tower building, located next to the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, (and then 5 days after the storm waiting for the water to reside) I began to experience major anxiety and panic attacks.

I have taken the medications over the years that were prescribed, but am proud to say that for the past few years I have been meds free! However on occasions I still get the occasional panic attack and anxiety just out of the blue. Often they are triggered by a memory, or when things seem to be getting overbearing. Stress over these things seem to be the main ingredient for Anxiety with the result of a Panic Attack in my opinion.

A few nights ago I experienced the worst panic attack in years. I just couldn't get it together, so my freaked out boyfriend took me to the local ER. The doctor there said it was all in my mind and gave me a shot of Benedryl, and sent me on my way. Oh she also said there was no way she would prescribe a controlled substance so don't even ask? (like I was faking to get drugs or something, which made me feel worse and panic more)

A few days later I went to see my regular doctor whom was very upset with how I was treated in the ER and reassured me it is a REAL thing, and many people suffer from Anxiety and there are many methods and treatments out there for it and Panic attacks as well.

My thoughts are this, Is my Anxiety/Panic Attacks something I could just make my mind say STOP. Are they real, because they sure do feel real when they happen? Why are some doctors so Anti-Anxiety? Is it really a mind control thing? Just putting this all out there and wanna hear what others opinions are......

reply to post by Ops4Ops


When you say is it in your head?

Yes. Your perception affecting you and the way you feel and then I am guessing??worry??

become obsessive on a thought and cant let it go?

Trust me nothing to worry about, just breath.

I began suffering from generalized anxiety attacks a couple of years ago and they are a VERY real thing.

I've found keeping a music player stocked with relaxing music helps somewhat when these attacks hit in public, sometimes I'll just look at a series of positive and calming images I have loaded onto another device until I've had a chance to re-center and re-focus away from whatever is causing the attacks.

I've noticed most of my PA's hit when I'm in commerce areas, shopping centers and other hubs of financial activity...and I've long wondered if there is something being "broadcast" in those areas that causes anxiety unless you're spending hordes of cash.

reply to post by Ops4Ops


I'm dealing with the exact same issue with my wife. and have had Doctors tell her the same thing. "it's a natural feeling, you just need to learn how to process it." ... obviously it's not something they have EVER experienced. sorry I don't have any miracle cure for you, I know what it's like. my suggestion, continue with your primary doctor, and look for a counselor/group to work through the remaining feelings that trigger your attacks...
good luck...

Originally posted by Ops4Ops
After being stuck in the Dominion Tower building, located next to the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, (and then 5 days after the storm waiting for the water to reside) I began to experience major anxiety and panic attacks.

I have taken the medications over the years that were prescribed, but am proud to say that for the past few years I have been meds free! However on occasions I still get the occasional panic attack and anxiety just out of the blue. Often they are triggered by a memory, or when things seem to be getting overbearing. Stress over these things seem to be the main ingredient for Anxiety with the result of a Panic Attack in my opinion.

A few nights ago I experienced the worst panic attack in years. I just couldn't get it together, so my freaked out boyfriend took me to the local ER. The doctor there said it was all in my mind and gave me a shot of Benedryl, and sent me on my way. Oh she also said there was no way she would prescribe a controlled substance so don't even ask? (like I was faking to get drugs or something, which made me feel worse and panic more)

A few days later I went to see my regular doctor whom was very upset with how I was treated in the ER and reassured me it is a REAL thing, and many people suffer from Anxiety and there are many methods and treatments out there for it and Panic attacks as well.

My thoughts are this, Is my Anxiety/Panic Attacks something I could just make my mind say STOP. Are they real, because they sure do feel real when they happen? Why are some doctors so Anti-Anxiety? Is it really a mind control thing? Just putting this all out there and wanna hear what others opinions are......

S&F for you.

I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks too. Only just started up very recently though, not suffered for years.

I personally have no idea whether it is a medical thing, or whether it is psychological, but whenever i get one (i never get a warning, except kind of how you know you;re about to yawn, I know i'm about to have a panic attack in an instant) I just say to myself "Don't be so #ing stupid" and it stops. Well, it usually does, unless I have been pondering over something, such as debt, health, the fact that I am powerless to actually be "free" in the true sense of the word without being shunned from society.

It's very frustrating though, and I know how you feel about the doctors. My first one, I thought I was having a genuine heart attack (chest pain, sore arm, dizziness, couldn't breath properly), even though i'm only 22. I called the emergency services, they came to the house within 5 minutes, and they told me just to sit on the couch and they would take my blood pressure. The only thing wrong was an extremely high pulse, so they took me in, and when I got there, they did stupid tests all day, and I had to wait for blood results, and when they ended up finding out I hadn't had a heart attack, they simply diagnosed: "Och it must be anxiety attacks, 7 bloody hours for that?!"

Perhaps the only people that should work in healthcare are the ones who actually realise that not everybody knows symptoms which relate to certain health issues (and heart attacks are very similar to panic attacks if it's bad enough that it causes pain). If they want to work in healthcare, they should actually give a # about people's worry for their health, rather than complain all the time.

if they are being triggered by what happened then you are having PTSD, post tramatic stress disorder. That ER dr was an idiot. your past experience is effecting you.

breathing is really important, in and out slowly. any time you can, between attacks when you are watching tv , sitting, be aware. we deplete the b vitamins really quickly when we are stressed and that can be a cause.

1 thing I can recommend is tart cherries or tart cherry capsules, they naturally help to relax you, hope you are okay and sorry you were treated badly by the er doc

Doctors have very different philosophies regarding prescribing medications, especially pain meds and narcotics. You were just unlucky to be seen by a doc that couldn't understand your problem. I would advise trying to look into yourself more for an answer than use a pill.

I have anxiety too, mine is triggered pretty much as soon as i leave my house...also people i don't know triggers it. So this pretty much means i stay inside my house all day and only leave it when i have to buy food etc... I have had this for the past 10 years.

I believe anxiety is a pattern of thoughts, that are triggered by our brain only. But when anxiety kicks in the body and brain are both affected. Mine is worst when i do not get enough sleep or eat too unhealthy, so i think maybe anxiety is an illness in the brain, a kind of brain damage, so when the brain is low on resources, the damage is harder for the brain to override.

Originally posted by jazkaat
reply to post by Ops4Ops

 

I'm dealing with the exact same issue with my wife. and have had Doctors tell her the same thing. "it's a natural feeling, you just need to learn how to process it." ... obviously it's not something they have EVER experienced. sorry I don't have any miracle cure for you, I know what it's like. my suggestion, continue with your primary doctor, and look for a counselor/group to work through the remaining feelings that trigger your attacks...
good luck...

It effects your whole body and is so horrible you can not describe.

Something that controls it completely is running. Run until you build to at least a mile a day actually I walked a half and ran a half when i first noticed i not longer had to deal with these attacks ever!!
I am thinking it is because of the hormone and chemestry changes created by running, no other exercise did this only running.

OK....First of all...it is all in your head. Since it is a mental issue. And I do not mean that in an offensive way at all. But that's how the ICD-9 classifies it and the DSM-IV. But..it is also very very real, and does exist.

However, with that said...benadryl my ass! Benadryl is an antihistamine. While it may have calmed you...by putting you to sleep, it was in my 18 years of medical training and practice an improper thing to do. I can understand an ER doctor who doesn't know you not wanting to write a prescription for a supply of a controlled substance. But...a milligram of ativan as an intramuscular injection or 3-5 mg's of Valium IV for a single time to calm you that night is what is appropriate.

Then they should have had you follow up with your personal physician. Which it sounds like you did anyways. Benadryl for an anxiety attack is inappropriate treatment.

I'm not exactly sure which type of anxiety disorder you have, but in an acute situation it doesn't make much difference in treatment. The DSM IV..which is the current psychological diagnostic criteria bible classifies about 7 different types of anxiety. Everything from PTSD, to an acute stress disorder. Link to DSM IV for anxiety related issues.

It sounds like you had a definite issue with a specific trigger..the hurricane, so PTSD might have been a diagnoses, but like I said before...for the other night that doesn't matter. What matters is something again caused you to have an acute panic attack or anxiety disorder. I will be honest here and say there is a sort of an astigmatism in the medical field regarding many psych issues including anxiety unless you're a psychiatrist or psychologist.

It is also commonly seen in ER's and I know doctors and pre-hospital providers get tired of dealing with it. That's just the honestly of the situation and I thought you needed to know before I continue to try to explain this. The problem is though, many physicians, paramedics, nurses, etc. think people are indeed faking it. And the truth is...some are. But it is a real disease.

Anxiety Disorders

Common Characteristics

Anxiety Disorders categorize a large number of disorders where the primary feature is abnormal or inappropriate anxiety. Everybody has experienced anxiety. Think about the last time a loud noise frightened you and remember the feelings inside your body. Chances are you experienced an increased heart rate, tensed muscles, and perhaps an acute sense of focus as you tried to determine the source of the noise. These are all symptoms of anxiety. They are also part of a normal process in our bodies called the 'flight or flight' phenomenon. This means that your body is preparing itself to either fight or protect itself or to flee a dangerous situation.

These symptoms become a problem when they occur without any recognizable stimulus or when the stimulus does not warrant such a reaction. In other words, inappropriate anxiety is when a person's heart races, breathing increases, and muscles tense without any reason for them to do so. Once a medical cause is ruled out, an anxiety disorder may be the culprit.

Disorders in this Category

Acute Stress Disorder
Agoraphobia (with or without a history of Panic Disorder)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD]
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder [OCD]
Panic Disorder (with or without Agoraphobia)
Phobias (including Social Phobia)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]

This is directly from the DSM IV and the same link I used above.

Since we know have shown this is "real"...which I know you already knew, let's take a look at the treatments for these issues.
Most anxiety issues will take an extended amount of time to treat, and usually with a combination of medicine and therapy.

In some cases, anxiety is a diagnosable mental health condition that requires treatment. Generalized anxiety disorder, for example, is characterized by persistent worry about major or minor concerns. Other anxiety disorders — such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — have more specific triggers and symptoms. In some cases, anxiety is caused by a medical condition that needs treatment.

Whatever form of anxiety you have, medications, counseling or lifestyle changes can generally help.

This is directly from The Mayo Clinic.

You probably had either a Generalized Anxiety Disorder attack or a Panic Attack and Panic Disorder.

The symptoms are closely related....and so are the treatments. Especially for acute or sudden onset. For long term treatment usually SSRI, or SNRI's can be used to help prevent them. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or tricyclic antidepressants can also be used, but these also take time and both have a higher risk of side effects than the SSRI's or SNRI's do.

For BOTH according to the Mayo Clinic, and every medical facility I have ever worked for for acute treatment, benzodiazpines are used. They are a central nervous system depressant, and can be habit forming. But again...I know you know all this. What is not found anywhere in anything I have ever read, is the use of benadryl to treat acute anxiety. Off label use of meds to treat certain conditions is approved by the FDA, but it's my opinion using benedryl is irresponsible and potentially more dangerous than say 1mg of Ativan...watching you for an hour or so, then letting someone take you home and telling you to follow up with your personal physician in the morning.

I ran out of room to finish on my last post...lol. I hope I have explained this appropriately. Your personal physician had a right to be upset with your treatment, and so did/do you.

I also hope he gave you a prescription for some type of benzodiazpine. Usually, clonopin, xanax or valium are the normal ones tried initially. In case you have another sudden onset attack. IDK if you are on an SSRI or SNRI or not...but if these attacks start to come back again...which I hope for your sake they don't, he might want to consider one of the longer meds to help prevent the attacks in the first place.

Good luck to you..and lemme know if you have any questions. I know I went on for a while there..lol.....sorry. Hope it helped though.

Hey Domasio, Thanks for the S&F!! I totally agree with you. It seems like these days people with anxiety are sometimes confused with people that have addictions. If I just wanted drugs (which I DO NOT) I could think of many different ways than going to the ER and having to pay $1000 (or more probably) on the hospital bill that will be arriving soon. Oh and I had some Benedryl at home, for that matter!

reply to post by Ops4Ops


first off.... that is MORE than enough to cause PTSD.

second... you can train your brain to stop the anxiety. of course, i still have panic attacks that i can't control if a storm comes in but i did teach myself to stop random panic attacks at a young age (had ptsd due to house being broken into when i was home alone).

reply to post by jazkaat
Just let your wife know she is not alone, and I let my boyfriend know he has people dealing with this same thing as well. Good Luck to us and many others dealing with this.

reply to post by iamdavid
Have you tried anything to help with the social anxitiy??

Bless your heart OP. You have certainly been through a lOT. So sorry for how that ER doc treated you and with Benadryl of all things - that's absurd, imo.

Webpirate , great posts. I'm with you. star'd them all.

Op, have you ever heard of brain entrainment ? This possibly may help you.

When I became anxious before, I looked that route instead of the SSRI's which I'm not so sure about. Praying, meditating, ..not medicating is the way to go in my book. Have heard good/bad on the SSRI's so it's best to play it safe when possible.

When someone has never been in the anxiety shoes, they can not relate. Been there...I truly feel for you and it is a shame all the druggies screw it up for the truly anxious folk who undoubtably, without question, need rescued!!

May you find the balance you need OP.
And find and dwell in PEACE of mind.
Take care. SnF

reply to post by SeekerLou

Thank you so much for your post. It really means alot to me! All of the posts have helped me, just knowing people out there understand. I have never heard of Brain Entrainment, but at your suggestion I am going to do some research on it. Thanks again and Take Care!

Maybe this will help get you started. The link has some downloads that you may listen to .

For stress:

www.mentallion.com...

Your welcome, I truly hope this helps you. Please do report your experience. OK?
Maybe others will give it a try if it works for you.

I noticed a big difference right away when I used the binaural beats which were similar. *these are not the same that I used but they are for stress.

My best to you. Oh and of course, Prayer! first.

that is really in your head because anxiety and panic attacks are not the illness - it;s just the behavioral reaction to what happening with us. And it usually caused by stresses and lack of feeling self esteem^ the fear f acting in some cases and fear of socializing - as our EGO is trying to protect us from additional stress situation like these (contacting there people, committing changes in your life, other stressful events etc).

Need to understand that it's not the lifetime diagnose - it's the point where you need to support yourself, have a rest, change something and then move on.

Alcohol and drugs can only cut your mental symptoms of anxiety for a "party time". I've coped with my anxiety states with brain training techniques. But "healthy" anxiety is still coming back - because without it you become robot - just don;t need to panic about your anxiety - I know ))) looks ridiculous but It's true for me ))))

Any anxiety I feel now is a 'normal' manageable type.

So how I've managed this? I have listened to hypnotherapy CDs, read books, posted positive mantras all over the house. Allthese types of things work for me. But, and it is a BIG BUT it takes time, persistence and hard work. Here the review of some of them: www.stoppanicattackreviews.com...